OBJECTIVES: Newborns who undergo surgery for gastroschisis correction may present with oliguria, anasarca, prolonged postoperative ileus, and infection. New postoperative therapeutic procedures were tested with the objective of improving postoperative outcome. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred thirty-six newborns participated in one of two phases. Newborns in the first phase received infusions of large volumes of crystalloid solution and integral enteral formula, and newborns in the second phase received crystalloid solutions in smaller volumes, with albumin solution infusion when necessary and the late introduction of a semi-elemental diet. The studied variables were serum sodium and albumin levels, the need for albumin solution expansion, the occurrence of anasarca, the length of time on parenteral nutrition, the length of time before initiating an enteral diet and reaching a full enteral diet, orotracheal intubation time, length of hospitalization, and survival rates. RESULTS: Serum sodium levels were higher in newborns in the second phase. There was a correlation between low serum sodium levels and orotracheal intubation time; additionally, low serum albumin levels correlated with the length of time before the initiation of an oral diet and the time until a full enteral diet was reached. However, the discharge weights of newborns in the second phase were higher than in the first phase. The other studied variables, including survival rates (83.4% and 92.0%, respectively), were similar for both phases. CONCLUSIONS: The administration of an albumin solution to newborns in the early postoperative period following gastroschisis repair increased their low serum sodium levels but did not improve the final outcome. The introduction of a semi-elemental diet promoted an increase in body weight at the time of discharge.

OBJECTIVES AND INTRODUCTION: Gastroschisis is a congenital abdominal wall defect with increasing occurrence worldwide over the past 20-30 years. Our aim was to analyze the morbidity of newborns after gastroschisis closure, with emphasis on metabolic and hydroelectrolyte disturbances in patients at three tertiary university centers. METHODS: From January 2003 to June 2009, the following patient data were collected retrospectively: (A) Background maternal and neonatal data: maternal age, prenatal diagnosis, type of delivery, Apgar scores, birth weight, gestational age and sex; (B) Surgical modalities: primary or staged closure; and (C) Hospital course: levels of serum sodium and levels of serum albumin in the two first postoperative days, number of ventilation days, other postoperative variables and survival. Statistical analyses were used to examine the associations between some variables. RESULTS: 163 newborns were included in the study. Primary closure of the abdominal defect was performed in 111 cases (68.1%). The mean serum sodium level was 127.4¡6.7 mEq/L, and the mean serum albumin level was 2.35¡0.5 g/dL. Among the correlations between variables, it was verified that hyponatremia and hypoalbuminemia correlated with the number of days on the ventilator but not with the number of days on total parenteral nutrition (TPN); mortality rate correlated with infection. The final survival rate was 85.9%. CONCLUSION: In newborns with gastroschisis, more aggressive attention to hyponatremia and hypoalbuminemia would improve the outcome.

PURPOSE: Characterization of the structural changes occurring in the pulmonary arteries resulting from surgically produced congenital diaphragmatic hernia in rabbits, with particular emphasis on the preventive effects of prenatal tracheal ligation or administration of intra-amniotic dexamethasone or surfactant. METHODS: Twenty rabbit fetuses underwent surgical creation of a left-sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia on the 24th or 25th gestational day. They were divided according to the following procedures: congenital diaphragmatic hernia (n = 5), congenital diaphragmatic hernia plus tracheal ligation (n = 5), congenital diaphragmatic hernia plus intra-amniotic administration of dexamethasone 0.4 mg (n = 5) or surfactant (Curosurf 40 mg, n = 5). On gestational day 30, all the fetuses were delivered by caesarean section and killed. A control group consisted of five nonoperated fetuses. Histomorphometric analysis of medial thickness, cell nuclei density, and elastic fiber density of pulmonary arterial walls was performed. RESULTS: Arteries with an external diameter > 100 mum have a decreased medial thickness, lower cell nuclei density, and greater elastic fiber density when compared with arteries with external diameter <= 100 mum. Congenital diaphragmatic hernia promoted a significant decrease in medial thickness and an increase in cell nuclei density in artery walls with external diameter > 100 mum. Prenatal treatments with tracheal ligation or intra-amniotic administration of dexamethasone or surfactant prevented these changes. In arteries with external diameter <= 100 mum, congenital diaphragmatic hernia promoted a significant increase in medial thickness and in cell nuclei density and a decrease in elastic fiber density. The prenatal treatments with tracheal ligation or intra-amniotic administration of dexamethasone or surfactant prevented these changes, although no effect was observed in elastic fiber density in the congenital diaphragmatic hernia plus dexamethasone group. CONCLUSIONS: Congenital diaphragmatic hernia promoted different structural changes for large or small arteries. The prenatal intra-amniotic administration of dexamethasone or surfactant had positive effects on the lung structural changes promoted by congenital diaphragmatic hernia, and these effects were comparable to the changes induced by tracheal ligation.

OBJETIVO: Caracterização das alterações estruturais que ocorrem nas artérias pulmonares de fetos de coelho com hérnia diafragmática congênita produzida com cirurgia, com destaque especial aos efeitos preventivos da ligadura de traquéia ou administração intra-amniótica de dexametasona ou surfactante. MÉTODOS: Vinte fetos de coelho foram submetidos a cirurgia para produção de hérnia diafragmática no 24º ou 25º dia de gestação. Os animais foram divididos de acordo com os procedimentos: hérnia diafragmática congênita (n = 5), hérnia diafragmática congênita com ligadura de traquéia (n = 5), hérnia diafragmática congênita com administração intraamniótica de 0,4mg de dexametasona (n = 5) ou surfactante (40mg de Curosurf, n = 5). No 30º dia de gestação, todos os fetos foram retirados por cesariana e mortos. O grupo controle consistiu de 5 fetos normais não operados. Foram realizadas análises histomorfométricas da parede das artérias pulmonares: espessura da camada média, contagem do número de núcleos celulares e densidade de fibras elásticas. RESULTADOS: As artérias com diâmetro externo > 100 mim apresentaram diminuição da espessura da camada média, menor número de núcleos celulares por micrômetro quadrado e maior densidade de fibras elásticas em comparação com as artérias com diâmetro externo diâmetro externo <= 100 mim. A hérnia diafragmática congênita provocou significativa redução na espessura da camada média e aumento do número de núcleos nas artérias com diâmetro externo > 100 mim. Os métodos terapêuticos, ligadura de traquéia e administração intraamniótica de drogas promoveram reversão destas alterações. Nas artérias com diâmetro externo <= 100mim a hérnia diafragmática congênita provocou aumento da espessura da camada média e na contagem de núcleos e decréscimo da densidade de fibras elásticas. A ligadura de traquéia e a administração intraamniótica de surfactante ou dexametasona reverteram estas alterações embora esta última não tenha tido efeito sobre a densidade de fibras elásticas. CONCLUSÃO: A hérnia diafragmática congênita provoca diferentes alterações estruturais nas pequenas e grandes artérias pulmonares. A administração intraamniótica de surfactante ou dexametasona tem efeitos positivos nestas alterações estruturais, comparáveis à ligadura de traquéia.